Slug tuning device



Dec. 20, 1960 J. N. BROWNING 2,964,955

swc TUNING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1959 2 z 31 30k 2 g 10 12 E \zzg 11 F I E E an Miil F I E El INVENTOR.

James N. Brow/was BY W Arrwwvsr A sen/r 2,964,955 SLUG TUNING DEVICE James N. Browning, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Collins gaggle Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Fiied Apr. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 809,812 2 Claims. (Cl. 74-10.85)

This invention relates generally to tuners for electronic equipment and more particularly to an improved construction for simultaneously adjusting the longitudinal position of a plurality of slugs relative to their associated coils.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective structure of an adjustable character by which a pair of tuning coll slugs may be varied in position simultaneously by the movement of a single control.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a gear drive system between two associated tuning coil slugs, whereby the gear drive relationship between the slugs is adjustable to predetermined settings so that the slugs may be simultaneously moved to effect proper tuning of an electronic device by the movement of a single control member.

A further object of this invention is to provide a drive support for the actuating mechanism of a plurality of tuning coil slugs adapted to be simultaneously adjusted by a single control member.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments and details of construction of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the slug adjustment mechanism comprising the invention as mounted on a panel of an electronic device;

Figure 2 is a partially sectioned plan view of the invention taken along the lines 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectioned view in side elevation of the invention taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, an electronic instrument panel 10 is illustrated as being provided with tapped holes 11 and 12 through which are threaded slug screws 13 and 14. respectively. Secured on screws 13 and 14 are tun'ng slugs 15 and 16, respectively, which are moved longitudinally of tuning coils (not shown) in the usual manner to effect a tuning operation of the equipment in which the construction is used. Thus it is seen that the slugs 15 and 16 are effectively and adjustably supported by the panel 10.

Panel 10 is further provided with an openng 17 into which a stud 18 is inserted and secured, as by a friction fit. Stud 18 includes a mounting flange 19 at one end, a central portion 20 extending through the opening 17. a shoulder 21, and a projecting, threaded shaft portion 22. An extension 23 of central portion 20 of stud 18 constitutes a bearing seat for a freely mounted gear 24. The gear 24 is provded with an internal lip 25 fitt ng in sliding relationship with reduced portion 23 of stud 18. A stop nut 26 is threaded on shaft portion 22 of stud 18 to overlap lip 25 and retain the gear 24 on stud 18 against any substantial longitudinal movement relative thereto. If nut 26 is advanced sufficiently on shaft 22, the gear 24 may be locked aga nst rotation by frictional engagement of the surfaces of the nut 26, lip 25 and shoulder 21.

Gear 24 is provided with longitudinally directed teeth 27 of substantial length which are engaged by peripheral teeth 28 and 29 of slug gears 30 and 31. Gears 30 and 31 are adjustably secured to screw shafts 14 and 13, respectively, as by set screws 32 and 33.

States Patent The operation of the mechanism should now be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. The desired range of movement, and the relative longItudinal positions of slugs 15 and 16 for effecting a predetermined tuning of the electronic equipment is preselected with gears 30 and 31 freely mounted on shafts 14 and 13. Upon completion of proper adjustment of each individual slug, the set screws 32 and 33 are moved to lock each gear 30 and 31 to its shaft. Thereafter, any adjustment of the slugs 15 and 16 will be made simultaneously by merely rotating the gear 24, as with a screw driver engaging gear slot 34. Upon rotation of gear 24, each gear 30 and 31 will be driven and will advance or retract shafts 13 and 14 relative to panel 10. As the shafts 13 and 14 move, the gears 30 and 31 will be moved axially of gear 24 with teeth 28 and 29 of gears 30 and 31 moving along teeth 27 of gear 24 in free sliding relationship.

If a set tuned posit.on is reached for the slugs 15 and 16, the mechanism may be locked against accidental displacement by a full takeup of stop nut 26.

Therefore, it should now be obvious that this invention provides an effective, adjustable, and presettable mechanism for varying the tuning of an electronic mechanism by the simultaneous adjustment of a plurality of tuning slugs through the operation of a single driving member. The details of the construction may be subject to many mod.fications well within the purview of this inventor and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tuning drive mechanism for electronic equipment comprising a plurality of tuning slugs each carried by an associated shaft, common support means to support said shafts for axial movement in spaced parallel relationship to each other, a drive gear rotatably earned by said support means, a driven gear carried on each of said v shafts, means to adjustably secure each of said driven gears on its associated shaft in any set position, said drive gear being selectively lockable against rotation relative to said common support means, sad drive gear when actuated simultaneously moving said driven gears to effect a like axial movement of each of said slugs, said driven gear when locked permitting individual positioning of each of said shafts w.th respect to its associated driven gear.

2. A tuning drive mechanism for electronic equipment comprising a plurality of tuning slugs each carried on an associated threaded shaft, common support means threadably receiving said shafts in spaced parallel relationship to each other, gear driving means, means carried by said common support means to rotatably support said gear driving means, means to selectively lock said gear driving means against rotation with respect to said common support means, a driven gear threadably received on each of said shafts, means to selectively secure each of said driven gears in any set axial position with respect to its associated shaft, said gear driving means when unlocked and actuated simultaneously moving each of said driven gears to effect simultaneous axial movement of each of said slugs, said gear driving means when locked permitting selective positioning of individual ones of said driven gears with respect to their associated shafts.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,875,360 Taylor Sept. 6, 1932 2,321,317 Plensler June 8, 1943 2,417,182 Sands Mar. 11, 1947 2,503,100 Durhust et al Apr. 4, 1950 2,586,870 Shapiro et al. Feb. 26, 1952 2,607,826 Barnes Aug. 19, 1952 2,641,647 Wallin June 9, 1953 

